EMERGING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Cinematographer Tom Richmond Moves From Film to Stills

May 09, 2013

David J. Carol

ALL PHOTOS BY TOM RICHMOND

Tom Richmond is a very successful Cinematographer/Director of
Photography in the film industry. Recently he has started teaching at
the very prestigious Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. He has also begun
spending more time shooting still photos. I met Tom through a mutual
friend, photographer Cat Gwynn, and we instantly hit it off telling
stories and drinking coffee in a little coffee shop on Broadway in the
village. Great guy and an emerging photographer. I present to you, Tom
Richmond.

Tom, you're a successful and highly respected
cinematographer. What films do you feel demonstrate your best work and
are they the favorite films you've made?
Best work. Little
Odessa, Stand and Deliver, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, The
Slums of Beverly Hills, A Midnight Clear, Right at Your Door...

Needless to say, I personally like a lot of the films I've
photographed. Not many have had real box-office success. A couple of
total non-hit favorites include

Why now this transition to still photography?
I
started out with B&W photography in college. Loved it. After a few
years of dabbling, I went to film school in LA, and switched to film.
Two reasons I started photographing again were 1) scouting and
photographing locations in movie prep and 2) my continuing friendship
with Cat Gwynn, a dedicated and excellent still photographer who has
encouraged me to the maximum. Cat and I have our own unofficial company;
Tomcat -

For the past few years, my work schedule as a freelance
cinematographer has slowed down, along with the economy. I have more
time for photography. I have also recently transitioned my residence
from LA to primarily NYC. I find that New York, and the Northeast
provide a much richer, denser, and varied environment to explore;
seasons, architecture, geography, people outside their cars and homes.

How is your approach to still photography different then your approach to making films?
For
me, there are 2 major differences in my approach to photography vs.
cinematography. The first is that when you shoot a film, you coordinate
with a group of other people, usually a large group. There's almost no
spontaneity. Creative vision/ action is inextricably tied to
communication and leadership skills.

Still photography (at least
non-commercial ) offers me a total release and escape from these
stigma. I can shoot whatever I want, with no one's approval. Nobody has
to like or agree with what I do, and major pre-production is gloriously
unnecessary.

The second major difference is a need in movies for
lighting continuity and control. In a photograph, half the time I see a
moment of magical light, and I just shoot! Or I remember it and go
back another day...on my own schedule!

In filmmaking, editing
demands that you find a lighting 'look', and then must maintain it for a
series of shots. I've been studying lighting for 25 years at least,
and still feel that there are a million more technical things to learn.
Also, designing a 'look' is obviously very different than discovering
light in a real situation.

At the moment, I'm very impressed with
how 'Game of Thrones' has managed to provide visually rich and
sparkling looks and maintain them throughout a scene.

OK, I'm gonna put you on the spot here. Who are your 5 favorite photographers and your 5 favorite movie directors?
Aarrrggghhh! Super hard. I think I do have favorite photographers, tho' I feel
somewhat illiterate every time someone puts a new reference on Facebook.

With
films, I usually qualify by saying that I have favorite films rather
than directors. But...here goes photography: Emmet Gowin, William
Eggleston, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Bruce Davidson & Ray K. Metzker
(and Joel Meyorwitz !) film directors: Bernard Bertolucci, Jacques
Tati, Michael Haneke, Robert Altman, Woody Allen. and many others.
Who were the nicest actors you have worked with?
Nicest
actors. There are a lot actually. Alan Arkin, Kat Denning, Michael
Cera, Marissa Tomei, Liam Neeson, Ethan Hawke, Robert Downey Jr....more

Where do you want your still photography to be in 5 years?
I
hope to create a portfolio of material from which to publish a book (or
2), and to show my work in a gallery in NYC, LA, Chicago, or San
Francisco. &/or Paris! What I like about a photography book is that
it creates the opportunity to put pictures together to create a single
experience, and the opportunity to re-view pictures and possibly
associate them in a different way.